On March 17, thousands of medical students throughout the country learned where they will begin their residencies. However, that day was heartbreaking for Jessica Pereira, 30, as she was not accepted into any program, not even her second-choice specialization.
Pereira had decided to pursue plastic surgery, a competitive area, with a secondary concentration on general surgery. Yet, she was left without a placement when the Match Day results came in.
“I really thought I was going to match general surgery,” she told People, recalling the confidence she had built during rotations. One program director even told her, “If I could offer you a spot right now, I would, but it’s illegal for me to do it outside of the match cycle.”
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Pereira didn’t grow up wanting to be a doctor, but after giving up her Olympic swimming dreams, she found her passion for medicine. She encountered her first significant obstacle after college: she could not enroll in U.S. medical schools.
So, she chose to enroll in a Caribbean medical school instead, where she would complete a demanding four-year program that would alternate between rigorous library studies and hospital rotations in the United States.
She had a strategy to finish the five-year general surgery program and then pursue a fellowship to specialize in plastics. Alongside her academic journey, Pereira also shared her experiences online. For two years, she used TikTok and Instagram to document the highs and lows of medical school. She wanted to reveal the real life behind the highlight clips and she was optimistic that Match Day will bring amazing news.
“I literally thought I was going to match to the point where I already bought my Match Day outfit to wear,” she stated. “I knew what audio I was going to use to make a social media post.”
But instead of celebration, she posted a tearful video the next day, saying, “I honestly don’t know the best approach to this. I did not match.”
The vulnerability resonated with others, causing her video to receive over 89,000 views, and offers of encouragement flooded in. Doctors, pre-med students, and medical students all shared their own struggles.
During her time in med school, Pereira often felt alone in her struggles. That isolation is part of what fueled her social media presence.
She said, “Part of why we feel so alone is because nobody’s speaking about it. So I just risked it all. I was like, ‘I’m going to just talk about how I feel.’”
The person who has supported her the most throughout this difficult time is her fiancé, Tosin Oladunjoye, who last year matched into an emergency medicine residency in Alabama. Pereira, who is now visiting him there, said his encouragement remains unwavering. “He comes home every day, and the first thing he says when he opens the door is, ‘Hello, my surgeon.'”
Nonetheless, Pereira remains cautious about the path ahead. She immediately enrolled in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) and applied for preliminary general surgery posts.
“I feel like it’s slim odds,” she said.
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She’s additionally considering plastic surgery research opportunities to help her get closer to her objective. If SOAP fails to produce results, Pereira will turn to her network.
“People are going to have to help me and vouch for me and call programs and ask if an exception can be made,” she said.
Even though she and Oladunjoye live in different states, they are ready for anything. “If something comes tomorrow, should I wait to see if I get something from your program or what?” she asked him.
His response was, “If it says Michigan, you’re going to Michigan, and when I graduate I will come to Michigan.”
Connecting with a surgeon who once walked in her shoes has proven to be an unexpected bright spot. “She’s helping me to get something because this happened to her about 12 years ago. And look at her now.”
Pereira hasn’t given up hope, as her journey is still unfolding. She is holding on to the belief that her path, however winding, will lead her to the operating room one day.
